We'll Get The Chinese-made 2016 Buick Envision Sooner Than We Expected
Buick announced Friday that it will bring from China the Buick Envision to sell in the U.S. next summer, two years after that car was introduced overseas, and that it will be the first Chinese-made car from a domestic manufacturer.
Automotive News reported that the small crossover would go on sale sometime around August, earlier than expected from initial reports last month.
When it goes on sale, the Envision will be powered by a 2-liter turbocharged four that makes 252 horsepower and will only be offered in all-wheel drive to start. The model will be bookended by the subcompact-sized Encore and full-size Enclave and fill a substantial need for the premium automaker.
The Envision is constructed on General Motors’ replacement for its Theta platform that will eventually underpin the new Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.
The new crossover will likely start near $35,000 to fill the void between the Encore, which starts at around $25,000, and the Enclave, which starts near $40,000.
The Envision will be roughly one inch longer than the Audi Q5 at 183.7 inches and less than one inch shorter than the Acura RDX. Both premium crossovers start at more than $35,000 — the RDX is priced closer to $36,000 and the Q5 starts over $40,000.
The Envision will be assembled in GM’s Shandong facility.
More by Aaron Cole
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Will people chill out. For the amount of hatred for Theta here you'd think they were stacked 180 days deep on Chevy and GMC lots. GM has no problem selling the Theta vehicles at Chevy and GMC - the SRX is woefully out of date at this point and sales show it. GM doesn't have the capacity to tool a new line (the Envision is not Theta) and add capacity for this. My prediction, Chinese source is temporary until Theta winds down (as late as 2018) and then production moves to the US. Contrary to the predictions from the same folks that said Encore wouldn't sell, and Verano wouldn't sell, and can't understand with a starting price of almost $40K they sell one Enclave - this will sell. They won't be able to bring them in fast enough, and they'll sell for sticker. No higher than 30 day inventory turn first 6 to 9 months, and more than likely under 20 days. Buyers don't care about 4-cylinder turbo under the hoods, cripes Lexus is doing it at this point, Audi has done it forever, Acura will take the plunge, Mercedes is doing it, BMW does it, Cadillac does it (interestingly Hyundai on the Genesis platform doesn't it anymore but did). They are also rolling with AWD right out of the gate, which buyers eat up like candy. If the SRX replacement in 2018 will have a possible sticker price starting at $35K - there is no way this has a starting sticker of $35K. the Equinox starts at $23K. The Terrain starts at $34K. A Terrain Denali starts at $34K. The starting price will likely be between the Terrain and the Terrain Denali - likely on the higher end - $31Kish - peak out right around $40K - which is about where a cloth seat Enclave starts.
if we don't do something about this, who will? God Bless America, land that I love.
I am really sick and tired of all of our jobs are going overseas. We have a labor problem here in the United States. We need to create and KEEP jobs in the United States. We need to boycott these foreign vehicles! Keep American jobs! http://www.carshippingcarriers.com
Interesting how almost any TTAC Buick article draws >100 posts. Now, aside from the anti GM bailout/Chinese crap reactions, wouldn't it be nice to hear about how the 127,000 Chinese owners of this baby have fared with it? Given Buick's high status there I'll bet they're pretty critical of any flaws. Just asking.